You get an upgraded internet connection when you buy Xbox Live Gold? Didn't know that!

The game uses XBL to connect players, to invite each other, to talk to each other, but after that the EA servers are being used. Besides, all data goes over the Internet, no other network involved at all so no game play benefits whatsoever.

And the controller, well, that's just subjective and you know that.

Graphics never makes a game play better, look better/nicer, yes of course, but not play better!

Frame rate is a locked 60fps in core game play on the PS4P. Not sure about the X1X, but I imagine it's also 60fps.

PS4P offers both 1080 and 4K options, with the 1080 option having higher frame rate outside of core game play, with 4K offering better resolution. However, core game play is still locked at 60fps.

Overall, I can't really see outside of maybe some graphical tweaks for X1X, what makes it "Play Best" on X1X. For all intents and purposes, it seems they'd play exactly the same, both in game play, and on general performance standards.

All those improvements really have nothing to do with game play though, and realistically, exist on the PS4P as well. PS4P runs at a consistent 60 fps for core game play. Character level of detail is already absurdly high on the stock consoles of this gen, so I guess it's nice to have better shadows on them, but it doesn't affect game play. PS4P already offers both a 4K and 1080p option, with the only hit to performance being non core mechanics of the game may not run at 60fps. On the matter of 60fps offering seamless transitions, OK....is that really a game play mechanic, or a presentation mechanic. I've watched these transitions on the stock console, and I never once thought....."man, if only that was running at 60fps it would be so much more realistic." In all honesty, if I wanted it to be more realistic, I'd probably want it to be closer to 30fps, since that's what television broadcasts itself at(or close to it). In any case, what game play exist between each down? You mean selecting your next play or running through some menus?

It's not to say the game isn't better in some ways on X1X, but it seems they're purely aesthetic. It's not to say some people are trying to hard to downplay those improvements, but I see an equal number of people equating graphics with performance or actual game play, and falsely assuming that the PS4P doesn't offer the same enhancements in about the only place that could reasonably be considered a boon to game play...and that's frame rate.

On a side note, I read there what EA provided, and it just sounds like their bloated marketing hype, which greatly overstates the impact of the selling points they're trying to make of their features. This is EA we're talking about....why act like they're awesome now because of console preference, when they always try to butter things up with fancy wording?

@Aenea: "This game's jump from "almost 4K" on PlayStation 4 Pro to "full 4K" on Xbox One X makes a real difference, and, as we've said before, that goes double if your TV supports HDR. As it turns out, Madden NFL 18's engine (a version of DICE's Frostbite) was built with a lot of particle, sweat, and grass details that scale up and down depending on hardware—a fact that we didn't even know until the Xbox One X edition launched. (The series, after all, still isn't on PC.)

In addition to a resolution boost, Madden NFL 18 on Xbox One X turns up all of its details that little bit more. Distant light displays, grass details, and sweat and helmet reflections all look better and sharper during normal, active gameplay (which runs at 60fps on both systems). In addition, every pixel counts when you're kissing those bright details with HDR color and luminance data. I normally skip the series' replays and "camera on the field" bits between plays, but the One X's increased details and more stable 30fps lock during zoomed-in bits even make this stuff more worthwhile." https://arstechnica.com/gam...

So according to factual data & reviews yes it does run better & smoother.

What is a seamless transition? If it's the same as the stock consoles, then wheres the improvement? How can it possibly be better as it was already fairly seamless. It has been for several madden games now. I don't even play that many Madden games anymore, but it's like the people here trying to make this a huge win for X1X haven't played one in close to 10 years now.

What is actually improved in game play? Are passes easier to make? Is the FOV better so you can scramble better? Is the AI better? Are controls better? What exactly is better in game play? Provide specifics that don't involve graphics(as that's not game play), or frame rate(as it's already been proven fps is consistent between the two).

I think that's what Aenea is trying to get at....and so far, the only thing that could reasonably be used as saying it performs better is the frame rate, which has already been shown to be equal between the PS4P and X1X. The only difference is that outside of core game play, frame rate isn't locked at 60fps when using 4K mode on PS4P.

No what she was getting at is asking what mechanics we're different which not one person, MS or EA said changed.

She then went on to state that in her opinion a smoother framerate, improved visuals doesn't mean the game plays better.

Everything else you and her try to argue is beside the fact and further demonstrates how you and her only hold strict expectations or a need to have every detail explained to you from a promotional commercial aimed at a wide audience from Xbox.

Improved visuals don't actually improve game play. Madden already looks great for what it is on the stock hardware, and just looks better on better hardware. Doesn't affect game play in the least. There are times where that may be the case, but not in a Madden game, which is a fairly static screen, with very clear pictures on every modern console or decently powered rig that I've seen. How is a higher detailed jersey or face of a player make the game PLAY better? Can you see further down the field with the higher resolution, when the draw distance can already draw the entire field just fine?

Frame rate could affect game play, but the game play is consistent between the PS4P and X1X, so how is it better?

Wow, I have seen some really crazy Xbox fans over the years who really write dumb stuff (not you or any others on this site, just elsewhere) so that means they would've been even dumber if they hadn't bought an Xbox! Imagine that if you will!

Can't really say it plays best on PC. LMAO... its simply saying what ever performance issues the games has, it has it less on the X due to it having a better hardware to run games, we've seen this too many times for them to put out an ad like this. The X speaks for itself.

Cute. Is this your “I’m better than you because I troll Sony” down play comment? Love it when you fanstixs act like you are above the rest yet your comment history shows differently. If you think that making consumers jump through this many hoops to “brag” about something is worthwhile, more power to ya. Congrats on entering this gen.. four years too late

Only 2-3% of PS4 owners actually buy exclusives same goes for Xbox. So no, exclusives aren't more important. Further more look at the PS3 and the PS4 both had nothing in the way of big exclusives for almost 2 years yet still sold well. In the case of the PS4 extremely well! Look at the Xb1 at launch MS dubbed it "the perfect storm of Xbox games" how did that work out for them? Exclusives may have been king at one time but definitely not anymore. People want the best looking and performing multiplats that's all that matters nowadays.

When MS was delivering a lot of high quality exclusives in the 360 days, it's when they actually gained a lot of respect and stripped market share away from Sony last gen.

Sony managed to keep selling despite lean times because they still had exclusives during those times, and enough faith from the consumers that they would actually deliver overall, plus they had almost all of the 3rd party support.

Exclusives arent the end all be all of a console, but they are far from meaningless. I'd say that good games are more important than resolution, and right now, Sony is delivering on that front, while MS is happy to bask in the glory of compromised 4K.

Exclusives were never king, but they certainly are an important reason as to why a console maintains it's identity. If the console maker has enough faith to make games for their console, then it means they at least want to take the risks involved in making it a success.

Can anyone truly say what the X1's identity is now? I know I can't, and Spencer surely hasn't expressed a cohesive vision for the system since he took over.

What facts? Frame rate is the same across all platforms, it only looks better than on others. Since when does better looks mean it plays better? Only in the minds of MS's PR company and Xbox fans it seems.......

Why do I get the feeling that only a certain group of people would even notice something like this? So now is it bad to promote your product? I’m pretty sure a tech expert would be able to tell you if it truly does play better on Xbox but has it really come to that? People are so petty...

I'm curious...that's what I have. That's what a majority of their user base have.

Shame they have no desire to promote that system anymore.

Granted, I don't care about Madden in the least, but this is just another example of just how much MS doesn't care one bit about their older hardware. You don't see Sony promoting it's PS4P in favor of the OGPS4 with marketing like this. Only MS, who can't seem to get people interested in their system without trying to bring the competition down. Sony promotes it's games, sometimes mentioning the different hardware variants. MS like to keep saying "more power". It's really pretty sad that Xbox fan boys think it's perfectly acceptable for MS to throw away the bulk of their user base if they don't want to buy into their new attempt at remaining relevant.

All companies advertise glowingly on behalf of their own products. Where was the outrage and sarcasm when Sony used their silly "Best place to play" line? Now that Microsoft advertises in the same vein... oh it's just horrible, lol.